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This scoping review aims to identify and map the existing literature regarding the relationship between neuroticism and self-reported health in community-dwelling older adults. We adopted the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis recommendations and followed the PRISMA-SCr when reporting it. The search was performed on ten different databases, including: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane, Embase, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, United States National Library of Medicine, Scopus, Web of Science, Ageline and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde/Centro Latino-Americano e do Caribe de Informação em Ciências da Saúde databases until February 2021. Data screening and extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. We included primary studies with older adults (≥60 years) [participants] that adopted validated instruments to assess neuroticism and self-reported health [concept] in the community [context], published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. We identified 3453 articles and included 15 studies in this review. We extracted the main categories of included studies, characteristics of the participants, methodological issues, and biopsychosocial factors. Outcomes were reported in three sections: Focus of studies; Definitions and measures of neuroticism and self-reported health; Associations with biopsychosocial factors. We found an association between high neuroticism and poor self-reported health. Some biopsychosocial factors may influence this relationship, such as chronic diseases, depression, social support, and a sense of control, which must be considered in future studies to shed light on this topic.

Portugal and Spain are neighboring countries, and both have aged populations. The aging of a population leads to a higher need for gerontological care. Person-centered care for older adults (PCCOA) offers a higher standard of quality at nursing homes. This systematic review aimed to: synthesize Portuguese and Spanish studies on PCCOA; describe the process of implementation of PCCOA; explore the impact of interventions based on PCCOA and determine the measurement tools used to evaluate PCCOA. This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Eleven electronic databases were used. All of the included studies examined PCCOA at Portuguese and/or Spanish nursing homes. Thirty-one of the included studies were conducted in Spain, and six were conducted in Portugal. Studies involved the development of models/recommendations, the promotion of resident participation in care processes and education/training. Their results indicated that PCCOA has positive outcomes for staff members and residents. Six measurement tools were used in the studies conducted in Spain. This review highlights the importance of PCCOA and the need for scientific advances, especially in Portugal. The current knowledge emerging from this systematic review will guide care planning and interventions to improve care quality and has the potential to create networking opportunities.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the evidence on self-reported health and neuroticism in older adults. METHODS: Indexed literature published in English, Spanish and Portuguese will be systematically searched and retrieved from 10 databases; reference lists from included studies will be manually searched. Two authors will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full texts against the eligibility criteria. A customized data extraction form will be used to perform data extraction of the included studies, which will be: studies written in English, Portuguese, and Spanish; studies of older adults aged 55 years or over (mean age is 60 years at least); studies of community-dwelling older adults; studies that evaluated both self-reported health and personality; studies that evaluated self-reported health and personality with validated instruments; observational, review, and intervention studies. RESULTS: The results will be presented in a tabular format, accompanied by a narrative summary.

Introdução: Sob a perspetiva dos custos assumidos pelo cuidador informal e pessoa cuidada, este estudo pretende quantificar e valorar a utilização de serviços de saúde e sociais, assim como o tempo dedicado aos cuidados prestados em situações de demência. Material e Métodos: Recolheram-se informações sociodemográficas e de utilização de serviços de 123 díades de cuidados. Os custos foram estimados considerando: Setor Saúde (serviços de saúde), Doente/Família (tempo de cuidados) e Outros (serviços sociais, cuidados continuados, outros privados). A avaliação dos custos do Setor Saúde e Outros Setores considerou a pessoa pagadora; para o Setor Doente/Família aplicou-se o método do bem-substituto. Calculou-se o custo mensal para os utilizadores e o valor para 100 díades. Resultados: O custo total dos cuidados informais foi de €61 982,2/mês por 100 díades. O valor do Setor Doente/Família (€44 030,0/mês) contribui com 71,0% do custo total; os Outros Setores com 20,8% (€12 887,4/mês), seguido do Setor da Saúde com 8,2% (€5064,8/mês). Discussão: O valor obtido para cada díade (€619,8/mês) representa 77,5% do seu rendimento mensal (mediana = €800,0; amplitude interquartil = 679,0), o que pode condicionar a continuidade dos cuidados em casa. Em face aos montantes apresentados para esta amostra, estima-se a presença de isenção de taxas moderadoras no Setor Saúde e/ou benefícios na comparticipação das respostas sociais e, como tal, uma estimativa em baixa dos gastos apresentados. Conclusão: Apesar da complexidade na estimação dos custos associados aos cuidados informais na demência, este artigo ilustra o peso significativo que estes podem alcançar para as famílias.

Introduction: The ageing of populations is evident in most developed countries, and the oldest old group is one of the segments with the fastest growing. The aim of this paper is to examine sociodemographic and health related characteristics of the portuguese oldest old, using a census-based approach. Material and Methods: A descriptive study considering all residents aged 80 years and older at the time of the 2011 Census (n = 532 219) was conducted. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, sensory functions (seeing, hearing), functional status (walking/climbing stairs, bathing/dressing alone), cognition (memory/concentration), and communication (understanding others/being understood) as assessed by the Portuguese census official questionnaires were analyzed. Results: Findings revealed that most of the oldest old are women (64.5%), widowed (53.9%), illiterate (46.1%) and live in private households (88.8%). Walking/climbing stairs (57.1%), vision (39.1%) and hearing (35.1%) were the dimensions where the oldest old presented major constrains. In parallel, understanding others/being understood (25.9%) and memory/concentration (34.4%) were the dimensions with lower percentages of difficulties. Significant differences were found between octogenarians/nonagenarians and centenarians for vision, walk/climb stairs, and bathing/dressing alone, with centenarians presenting a higher percentage of difficulties. Discussion: Portuguese oldest old showed significant difficulties in activities of daily living, nevertheless cognitive and communication capacities seem to be commonly maintained. Taken together, these findings suggest the need for functional assistance, which can be ultimately managed by the older person him/herself. Conclusion: Based on the observed differences between centenarians and younger oldest old, specific interventions should be equated to better respond to their potentially distinctive needs.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive reserve (CR), a hypothetical construct used to obtain information about cognitive aging, describes the capacity of the adult brain to cope with the effects of neurodegenerative processes. This study evaluated CR using a CR questionnaire (CRQ) and a set of variables (education, leisure activities, lifelong occupation) that inform CR. It also developed a CR index, validated the CRQ, and examined the correlation between the different CR measures.METHODS: Functional and neuropsychological capacities of 75 outpatients (mean age: 80.2 years) with a probable AD diagnosis were evaluated. Socio-demographic data and clinical variables were collected. Patients completed two questionnaires: the Participation in Leisure Activities throughout Life questionnaire, and the CRQ.RESULTS: Participants with a greater CR had higher scores in cognitive tests than the elderly with a lower CR. A CR index was developed. CRQ reliability was 0.795 (Cronbach's alpha). There was a close association between the CR Index and the CRQ.CONCLUSIONS: This study found an association between CR measures and education, occupation and participation in leisure activities. The CRQ seems to be a suitable instrument to measure CR in Portuguese populations.

Representações sociais sobre a velhice, tanto na literatura sobre o tema, quanto nas repercussões de dois acontecimentos noticiados pela mídia - o lançamento do filme Amour, de Michael Haneke, e o suicídio do ator, diretor e produtor brasileiro Walmor Chagas, aos 82 anos -, mostram uma associação entre velhice, declínio e finitude, que ora é contestada, ora é reafirmada em suas ligações, e demanda atenção quanto aos aspectos que se apresentam como naturalizados.

The assessment of social networks in gerontological and research practice requires valid, concise and reliable short scales that can be easily used with older adults. The Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) is one of the most widely used instruments to assess social integration and to screen for social isolation among community-dwelling populations. This study presents the translation and validation process of the SNLS abbreviated version (LSNS-6) to European Portuguese. Main psychometric properties are discussed.

A finalidade deste estudo é contribuir para a melhoria da assistência de enfermagem à pessoa dependente e sua família. O trabalho teve como objetivos: descrever o grau de dependência de idosos em contexto familiar; identificar características sociodemográficas dos idosos dependentes em contexto familiar; descrever a principal causa que originou a dependência nos idosos que se encontram no domicílio. A opção metodológica foi uma abordagem quantitativa de natureza exploratória descritiva. No período de outubro 2007 a junho de 2008 foram seleccionadas 108 famílias, de uma região norte de Portugal, com um idoso dependente. Foi uma amostra de conveniência. Para a colheita de informação recorremos a um inquérito onde incluímos o índice de Barthel. Os resultados mostraram que os idosos são predominantemente mulheres, viúvas, com média de idade de 81 anos, com nível grave de dependência, cuja principal causa foram as doenças do sistema circulatório.

Informal caregiving to the elderly is associated with the presence of both difficulties and positive rewards, but the latter have been considered less systematically in gerontological literature. In this cross-sectional study, we compared satisfaction of caregivers of demented (n=70) and stroke patients (n=44) by means of the Carer's Assessment of Satisfaction Index (CASI) and also compared their depression levels. Findings revealed the presence of satisfaction deriving from intrapersonal dynamics (elderly as main beneficiary) and from interpersonal dynamics (caregiver as main beneficiary) in dementia situations, and the presence of satisfaction deriving from intrapersonal dynamics (caregiver as main beneficiary) in stroke situations. Both subgroups of caregivers revealed similar yet significant levels of depression. The need for a better understanding of satisfaction experiences in dementia and stroke caregivers is highlighted.La prestación informal de cuidados a las personas ancianas está vinculada a la presencia de dificultades y de satisfacciones. Generalmente la literatura gerontológica enfoca los aspectos de la dificultad, sin embargo no le ha dado la misma atención al análisis de la experiencia de la satisfacción. El propósito de este estudio transversal fue comparar la experiencia de satisfacción y de sintomatología depresiva de cuidadores de ancianos con demencia (n=70) y de cuidadores de ancianos con antecedentes de, por lo menos, un AVC (n=44), a través del Índice de Evaluación de la Satisfacción del Cuidador (CASI). Los resultados indican la presencia de sintomatología depresiva en ambos grupos; satisfacción intrapersonal (centrada en el anciano) y interpersonal (centrada en el cuidador) para los cuidadores de ancianos con demencia y, satisfacción intrapersonal (centrada en el cuidador) para los cuidadores de personas con antecedentes de AVC. Se destaca la necesidad de comprender mejor las experiencias de satisfacción en los cuidadores de ancianos con demencia y AVC.A prestação informal de cuidados a pessoas idosas é vinculada à presença de dificuldades e de satisfação. Enquanto a literatura gerontológica enfoca os aspectos da dificuldade também tem negligenciado a análise da experiência de satisfação. O propósito deste estudo transversal foi comparar a experiência de satisfação e de sintomatologia depressiva de cuidadores de idosos demenciados (n=70) e de cuidadores de idosos com antecedentes de pelo menos um AVC (=44), através do Índice de Avaliação da Satisfação do Cuidador (CASI). Os resultados indicam a presença de sintomatologia depressiva para ambos os grupos, satisfação intrapessoal (centrada no idoso) e interpessoal (centrada no cuidador) para os cuidadores de demenciados e satisfação intrapessoal (centrada no cuidador) para os cuidadores de pessoas com antecedentes de AVC. Destaca-se a necessidade de compreender melhor as experiências de satisfação em cuidadores de idosos com demência e AVC.

O constructo Qualidade de Vida assumiu crescente relevância com a consciencialização de que “curar” uma doença não é o único resultado das intervenções de saúde. Torna-se importante possuir um instrumento de avaliação da qualidade de vida que seja apropriado, a nível psicométrico, para a avaliação do impacto de programas de intervenção na área da saúde. Foi realizada a validação para a população idosa portuguesa de um instrumento australiano de avaliação de Qualidade de Vida, o The Assessment of Quality of Life Instrument (AQoL.). Foram respeitadas as características da versão australiana na adaptação (factores e número de itens). A variância explicada pelos diferentes factores apresenta diferenças relativamente à versão original, sinalizando a seguinte ordem de valorização dos factores associados pelo IAQdV à qualidade de vida dos idosos portugueses: Vida independente > Bem-estar psicológico > Sentidos > Doença > Relações sociais. São discutidas variáveis condicionantes da qualidade de vida percepcionada nesta amostra.

The present study is based on the conceptual model defined by Fried which explains phenotypic frailty through the presence of the following criteria: weight loss; exhaustion; low physical activity; slowness and weakness. The aim of the present study was to identify the behaviour of phenotypic frailty and outline the profile of the frail elderly person. In order to do this, a random stratified sample of 339 individuals residing in the community was obtained. A frailty protocol was developed, composed of measures related to the aging process and phenotypic frailty. The results indicated a high prevalence of this syndrome (34.9%). It occurs more frequently among women (40.9%) and at more advanced ages (60.4%). The criteria that appeared most frequently in association with frailty are low physical activity (88.9%) and slowness (86.4%). Frail elderly individuals were characterized by being widow/separated/divorced (46.7%); illiterate (71.1%); living within a family with some degree of dependence (41.6%); living in unsuitable conditions (44.9%); having limited social relations (54.2%) and not receiving social support (37.6%). It can be concluded that frailty is a prevalent condition, and that the profile of the frail individual is associated with a set of characteristics that result in greater vulnerability, which suggests possible areas of intervention to minimize and delay this syndrome.

Este estudo teve como objectivos caracterizar famílias com um idoso dependente em contexto familiar e identificar apoios sociais das famílias com um idoso dependente. Foi realizado um estudo exploratório descritivo de natureza qualitativa. Recorremos à entrevista semi-estruturada para colheita de informação (elaboração de genograma e ecomapa). Seleccionamos uma amostra intencional de 108 famílias de um concelho, de uma região Norte de Portugal. A colheita de dados ocorreu no período de Outubro 2007 a Junho de 2008. Os resultados mostraram que as famílias com idosos dependentes são predominantemente famílias nucleares e envelhecidas, com apoios formais e informais restritos. Nas fontes informais, a figura dos filhos foi a mais relatada seguindo-se os vizinhos e amigos, enquanto, nas formais foram referidas as unidades de saúde e profissionais de saúde: médico, enfermeiro, fisioterapeuta, farmacêutico e assistente social.Este estudio tiene como objetivo caracterizar a las familias con un anciano dependiente en contexto familiar e identificar los apoyos sociales de las familias con un anciano dependiente. Se realizó un estudio exploratorio descriptivo de naturaleza cualitativa. Hemos recurrido a la entrevista semi-estructurada para recopilar información (elaboración de genograma y ecomapa). Se seleccionó una muestra intencional de 108 familias de una región al norte de Portugal. Los datos fueron recolectados entre Octubre de 2007 y Junio de 2008. Los resultados mostraron que las familias con personas mayores con dependencia son en su mayoría familias nucleares y envejecidas, con un apoyo limitado formal e informal. En las fuentes informales, la figura de los hijos fue la más relatada, siguiéndose los vecinos y amigos, mientras que en las formales fueron referidas las unidades de salud y profesionales de la salud: médico, enfermero, fisioterapeuta, farmacéutico y asistente sociales.This study main objectives were to describe families living with a dependent elder and to identify the social support of these families. We carried out a qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured data collection methods (development of eco-maps and genograms). We selected a sample of 108 families in a region of northern Portugal. Data collection took place from October 2007 to June 2008. The results showed that families with dependent elders are predominantly older nuclear families, with limited formal and informal support. With regard to informal sources, family relationships were the most reported, followed by neighbours and friends, while for formal sources the most mentioned were healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals: doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists and social workers.